


A Sacred Space

by natsume_kun



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Character Development, Character Study, Claude Gets Really Philosophical, Claude von Riegan-centric, During Timeskip (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Eventual Romance, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Metaphors, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-War, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Religion, Reminiscing, Spoilers for Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24826900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natsume_kun/pseuds/natsume_kun
Summary: Yet, when Claude turns, not a hint of doubt comes to mind upon recognizing those familiarly solemn eyes and light mint hair. Claude immediately knows that this was no ghost standing before him.Thiswas real-- and for a moment, Claude considers thathe’sthe only thing real could ever be.Maybe Claude was right all those years ago.Thisis what divine looks like, and their meeting was a revelation.--or, in which claude doesn’t believe in gods but devotes himself to byleth*edit: added an epilogue
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 23
Kudos: 72





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "There are, for example, privileged spaces, qualitatively different from all others… Even for the most frankly nonreligious man, all these places still retain an exceptional, a unique quality; they are the ‘holy spaces’ of his private universe, as if it were in such spots that he had received the revelation of a reality _other_ than that in which he participates through his ordinary daily life." (Mircea Eliade, 1957, in The Sacred and Profane)

To the religious man, a place like this would be holy ground. Even if such is in ruins, the presence of a greater power continues to dwell in this space. 

To the believers of Seiros, then, this space is consecrated. Garreg Mach, to them, was not only the center of Fodlan, but also the center of the world-- the summit of the entire universe, even. 

But Claude von Riegan was not a religious man, even much less a believer of any prophet. To him, spaces in this world differed-- topographically, geographically, but certainly not spiritually. Spaces were only as sacred as how people made them out to be through the meanings placed upon them. To them, these sacred spaces, for example, are akin to light-- they guided the believer and provided them a sanctuary within its borders-- saving them from the darkness beyond. But when Claude stands here in the midst of Garreg Mach Monastery’s ruins, what he sees is not light nor holy ground. Instead, he sees the remnants of the bloody onset of war-- a clash between opposing views of what this small space in the universe is supposed to be.

After all, why would he believe in the existence of a holy ground when he didn’t believe in gods in the first place? They say you find answers in a god-- that through these gods, everything is revealed. But Claude was a man of many questions and he never ran out of them. He doubted that these gods-- if they existed at all-- could answer all that he had.

\--

It’s been around a year since the fall of Garreg Mach.

When Claude arrives at the ruins, the sky is as bleak as the interiors of the battered structures of the monastery. He trudges through the debris, struggling to find smooth terrain among boulders of fallen pillars, broken walls, and shattered glass. 

By the time he finds clearer grounds by the Officers Academy, the sky rumbles with a grieving thunder. Claude looks up, watching the gray clouds float ominously above.

Suddenly, he feels a cool drop just below his eye, making him blink in surprise. Claude hears the hushed patter of rain on stone and soil, and feels cold water running down his skin. 

Using his cape to shield himself from the rain, he quickly finds shelter at the covered walkway between the Officers Academy and the Reception Hall. He leans behind one of the arches, crossing his arms as he watches the rain pour heavier as the seconds pass by.

Claude sighs. Maybe this wasn’t such a good plan after all. He had gone to the monastery to look for Byleth again. And he admits that even for himself, this was an unexpected thing to do. But somehow, Claude found himself constantly returning to this place. 

All these trips to Garreg Mach after his meetings with the Alliance lords-- Claude understood that this was a gamble.

He really wasn’t much for taking chances-- unless, of course, he had exhausted all means possible to get as close as he can to his objective. It was a bit like archery— you took a chance each time you shot the arrow, but you would almost always miss if you never calculated your aim. And although Claude wasn't much for taking chances, he was definitely meant for calculating them. 

This whole search, however, was proving to be more difficult. Because at this point, there really wasn’t much he could do, much less he could calculate. He had already tried asking around from merchants, villagers, mercenaries (any possible witnesses he could reach, really) around Garreg Mach for any leads as to where Byleth might be. And in the first few months shortly after Byleth had gone missing, Claude had even assembled the Golden Deer on a mission here in Garreg Mach to find their professor. However, these missions quickly dwindled as all of them eventually left the academy and got busier with responsibilities in their respective homes and territories. 

Claude now stands here alone amongst the decrepit structures of the academy, watching the rain fall as time passes him by. He closes his eyes wearily to the monotony of the downpour, recalling a distant memory with Byleth.

\--

A roar of thunder follows the crack of lightning against the sky.

Claude hears a hurried splash of footsteps approaching from behind him. But before he can even completely turn to look at who it was, his view of the sky is obscured by a familiar black coat and beside him, he finds the solemn face of his professor. 

They stand still in the shelter of Byleth’s coat under the rain, and Claude eyes his professor curiously-- as if wondering why he had bothered to follow and shield him from the downpour. His lips slowly turn up into a soft smile as he gently pushes his hand against Byleth’s to take one side of the coat from him. He doesn’t miss the way Byleth’s hand brushes against his back as he slowly retreats his arm from Claude’s side.

“Thanks, Teach.” 

Claude finally takes a step forward, each of them now holding their side of the coat above their heads. Byleth follows and they walk together under the somber sky, their feet splashing against the puddles. 

At some point, Claude suddenly stops walking. 

He looks down at his feet for a moment and grins to himself— as if he had just thought of a brilliant scheme. Byleth notices and turns to Claude, watching him leave the shelter of his coat. Claude steps in front of Byleth to face him and grins suspiciously, even as the rain pours heavier.

Claude leans forward closer and rests a hand on Byleth’s shoulder, his face now beside the professor’s. 

“Teach…”

Byleth furrows his brows in confusion as he turns his head slightly to glance at Claude. 

“...Race you to the Golden Deer classroom?” Claude chuckles.

Byleth immediately senses the mischief in his voice. And as soon as Claude pulls back, he shoots Byleth a wink before swiftly taking off, his boots splashing noisily on the wet ground. Even amongst the sound of heavy rainfall, roaring thunder, and splashing puddles, Byleth can hear Claude laughing heartily as he waves back at him, beckoning for him to follow.

And so, Byleth does.

His footsteps sound aggressive splashes as he dashes through the rain to chase after Claude. Lightning violently strikes above, but Byleth only keeps moving. He struggles to keep the coat over his head as he runs with it swaying against the wind, so he eventually settles for tucking it under one arm. 

When Byleth finally reaches the walkway between the Officers Academy and the Reception Hall, he spots yellow on his periphery, and pants as he sprints towards the courtyard.

Claude sits on the damp grass, leaning on his arms behind his back as he faces the sky. Once Byleth approaches near, he notices the calm on Claude’s face, his eyes shut as raindrops fall on his eyelids and slowly drip down his cheek.

Byleth then takes the coat from under his arm to unfold it. 

Suddenly, Claude senses that rain had ceased to fall on his skin, his hair, and his clothes. He feels something loosely cloaking his figure, and a hand gently guiding his shoulders to sit up. Claude blinks open one eye and grins when he sees Byleth leaning forward, eyeing him with worry. 

“Hey, you’re going to get cold,” Byleth says, solemn as ever-- and despite that, Claude could sense a genuine care in his voice.

When Claude opens his eyes, he notices Byleth offering a hand out in front of him. Claude chuckles as he takes Byleth’s hand to stand. As Claude slowly gets up, he ceases mid-way once their faces are inches away from each other, their noses barely touching. He gets lost in Byleth’s eyes for a moment-- entranced, as if just having seen a clear blue sky on a rainy day.

Claude says, taking in the feeling of his hand in Byleth’s and the other’s breath on his skin,

“I’ve never been warmer.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Claude gingerly traces the edges of the book pages, the only sounds coming from his breathing and the grazing of crisp paper. He sits at the corner table of the abandoned monastery library, reading a book left lying open on one of the desks-- The Book of Seiros.

_The Creation_

_In the beginning, amid the great cloudless ocean, Fódlan came to be. At the end of a long journey, the goddess glimpsed that land and there alighted. Upon that sacred ground, she breathed life into the world and created all of the creatures upon it._

These words are not unfamiliar to Claude. He recalls having read them before as a student at the Officers Academy-- one of those times he’d go to the library not to study, but instead merely to find answers to his neverending bouts of curiosity. Of course, Claude doesn’t adhere to such religious teachings. But even so, he enjoyed reading about them because they revealed to him just how vast the world was beyond himself. These legends of creation and mythologies-- they told of a perspective that his own experience of the world could not easily fathom. And perhaps, that was exactly why these lores about gods were among the things he was most curious about. They talked about a Greater Other whose Being was never entirely knowable-- always beyond human understanding. No matter how many questions about these gods you find answers to, there will always be more to know. But that’s the thing-- _not knowing_ did not at all sit well with Claude. 

And so, he wonders.

He wonders what made a sacred ground for the believer. Was it so because it was solely on such land that the goddess embarked on the act of creation? Then what of the life that existed beyond Fodlan? Was it all just irrelevant chaos, then, to the believer of Seiros, if Fodlan was the sole place of the holy-- and hence the only place that really mattered in the grand scheme of things? But Claude had been to the world beyond-- and he knew that the grand scheme of things was indeed much greater than this so-called sacred ground. 

Would it be possible that this ground was always already sacred, even before the goddess’ act of creation? The Book of Seiros calls Fodlan sacred even before it mentions the creation, after all. If so, then was it the moment that the goddess set foot on this land that marked such a place as holy? But how does one even ascertain the holiness of a place-- that the goddess did indeed alight upon such land? How do they know they’ve set foot in or out of a sacred space when tangible borders aren’t always present?

Claude wonders.

And as he does so, he unknowingly drifts off to sleep, his head buried in the book he had been reading.

Soon, Claude wanders.

\--

He wanders back to a time around almost three years ago when he was in this same place as a student, reading a book on the Church’s teachings and pondering questions about the lore of Seiros. He remembers sitting across from Byleth, the professor silently scribbling away on his journal and occasionally turning the pages of what seemed to be a book on archery. It was a little after dinner, the night still fairly young. Torches lit the room warmly, the gentle crackling of fire and turning of pages joining the restful whispers of the night breeze.

Claude looks up from the book he was reading and rests his head on his palm, elbow against the wooden surface. He looks at Byleth, the other seemingly unaware of his gaze. Claude watches as he stops in the middle of turning a page to rub the weariness from his eyes. He likes the way the light softened Byleth’s features-- the pale viridian eyes and light mint of his hair a tinge warmer and softer. Byleth meets his eyes for a moment and Claude smiles. 

“I like the green of your hair,” Claude says.

Byleth tilts his head in question and watches Claude silently for a few moments. He looks straight into Claude’s eyes, then slowly averts his gaze back down to his journal.

“Thank you. I...”

“...I like the green of your eyes,” Byleth says with solemn sincerity as he begins to write on a page.

Claude suddenly sits up, lifting his head from his palm in surprise.

_Did I just hear that right?_

Byleth glances up at him innocently for a moment before setting his eyes back down on the journal.

Claude looks down at his own book and finds himself laughing softly.

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t even in the least bit flattered by Byleth’s words. It was a breath of fresh air for him to hear Byleth say things like that-- and with such subtly sweet sincerity, even.

He looks back up at Byleth and watches him work peacefully. Something draws him in, and he eventually finds himself reaching out towards Byleth. 

Claude touches Byleth’s hair and watches the way the strands slip from his fingers. Byleth soon notices and glances up at him softly-- the usual stern look in his eyes nowhere to be found. His gaze has become much more gentle. Despite that, Claude somehow half expects Byleth to pull away or seize his hand away from his hair. 

But Byleth does none of those things.

“I wonder… if this is close to what the goddess of Fodlan looks like,” Claude says, touching Byleth’s hair, then turning to look him in the eyes.

“But I thought… you didn’t believe in the goddess.” 

“I don’t but… when I try to imagine what divine looks like, somehow, I think of you,” Claude chuckles as he finally lets go of the strands in between his fingers.

Byleth bows his head, as if to skim the words he’s written on the page.

"Something tells me… the goddess would not be so pleased to hear that," Byleth says quietly.

Then slowly, the corners of Byleth’s lips turn up and he begins to laugh softly. 

It’s so rare for Claude to see and hear Byleth laugh even as briefly as this that when he does, the world feels new to him-- a little lighter, a little brighter.

Claude would try to imagine what divine sounds like, but he figures that Byleth’s laughter was more than enough.


	3. Chapter 3

Claude always found a sanctuary looking at the night sky-- exactly because it was way beyond his grasp. He could try reaching out to the stars, but his hands would never be able to touch them. So when he reaches out towards his dreams instead, they suddenly feel so much closer, more tangible. 

When Claude climbs up to the Goddess Tower on this night of the Ethereal Moon, he then searches the sky for a star. And that was supposed to be no problem, really. The sky was filled with them tonight, shining like a thousand watchful eyes over those who slumber. 

Except that even when Claude looks up at a thousand of them, he feels as if he could not find what he was searching for.

Claude sighs as the cold night wind blows through his hair and for a moment, he thinks he hears the breeze whisper his name above the restful sound of rustling leaves.

Then in the periphery of his vision, he notices a tail of bright light in the sky approaching from the distant east.

\--

“Teach, did you see that?” 

“That was… a falling star?” 

“Yeah. You know, speaking of legends, I’ve heard some people wish upon falling stars too.” 

Byleth furrows his brows in question as he looks up at the sky.

“Hmm.”

“...Say, Teach. What if… we made a wish upon that star instead? I’m not exactly a believer of such legends but since we both saw it together, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to try. And besides, we can’t be missing out on the fun just because the Goddess Tower legend says it only grants prayers from a man and a woman, right?”

“I see… what should we wish for, then?” Byleth turns to him.

“Hmm… how about we wish for our ambitions to come true? I know that there’s only so much wishing can do, but… I’d like to think I can at least find some reassurance in the stars… Now, I know you’re not exactly the selfish type, but even you must have some ambitions of your own, right?”

“I… I’m not quite sure.”

“Even if you’re not aware of it now, I’m sure there must be something your heart yearns for. After all, there’s hardly any point in doing just about anything without some kind of utmost direction or purpose-- something you look towards, a kind of light at the end of the tunnel that guides you."

"The way you describe it-- it sounds like… a star...” Byleth tilts his head questioningly. “...or maybe even a god."

"A star and a god, you say?" Claude chuckles. "That’s an intriguing way of putting it. But now that I think about it… you might be right about that."

\--

Claude walks the ghostly halls of Garreg Mach, the gaping holes on the ceiling and cracks in the windows letting slivers of moonlight seep mystically into the dismal interiors. The wind picks up again and for a moment, Claude feels warmth intertwine with his fingers in spite of the chilling breeze. The high-pitched sound of a door creaking eerily echoes through the hall and from above, he hears the rustle of crumbling dust fall from the ceiling. 

There’s a brief scratching sound, and then the crackle of a tiny flame. Claude stops frozen in his steps when he spots a speck of light flickering from the corner of the hall-- a lit torch? The wind whistles a familiar song and Claude immediately recognizes it as the one that was played during the ball at Garreg Mach.

Claude blinks for a second, and when he opens his eyes, the hall is elegantly lit-- just like all those years ago during this same night of the Ethereal Moon. And before him stands none other than Byleth-- one hand holding his own, and the other on Claude’s waist. Byleth watches his feet, and when he finally glances up to face him, there’s a brief hint of a shy smile-- a little awkward, yet one that Claude finds absolutely endearing. When Byleth looks down again, Claude reaches to lift the other’s chin up but before he could even do so, he feels the warmth on his fingers slipping away. 

Claude tries to seize him, but it’s too late.

He feels Byleth slipping away.

Claude blinks and he finds himself alone in the gloom of the abandoned hall-- the torches all lifeless, not even a trace of smoke from the flames they bore mere seconds ago. He finds his fingers bereft of warmth and instead entangled in the ghostly touch of gossamer.

“My friend, tell me you’re still here.” Claude chuckles-- albeit quiet and weary, as he looks down at the cobwebs in his hands.

\--

Just before he finally steps outside the ruins of the monastery, he thinks he hears the breeze hauntingly whisper his name for the second time that night.

 _I must be going mad._ Claude shakes his head and laughs to himself.

He looks up at the night sky again and smiles. 

Tonight, Claude leaves the monastery ruins having a little more faith that no matter how many times his search falls through, the Fell Star itself will find its way back to him.


	4. Chapter 4

Two things had brought Claude back to Garreg Mach today: faith and a promise. 

The latter was bound by his bond with the Golden Deer from five years ago, while the former-- well, he’s not so sure just how long it’s been there. 

Claude was definitely a man of reason, after all. It was only rational for him to consider the possibility that Byleth had met his death at some point during the Battle of Garreg Mach, or maybe even a little after that. And yet, he constantly finds himself back here amid the long-forsaken wreckage. 

Claude reminds himself that Byleth was far from normal and if he were to really disappear, it could only be in a manner as miraculously grand as his existence. Not like this-- not without even as much as a trace or a warning. But despite the nature of his existence, Byleth was still human, right? It was only a matter of time before he’d run out of miracles to pull off.

Claude finds humor in it sometimes, thinking that only a fool would be waiting and searching this long for a man who now only lingers in memory. And despite that, Claude willingly indulged himself in such foolishness. It’s laughable, really. He was definitely a man of reason, but all these years, it could only have been faith that kept him returning to this place. 

When Claude hears footsteps echo from the staircase behind, the first thing that comes to mind is an illusion. Maybe he was just hearing things. Perhaps, he had simply misinterpreted the sound of stones being carried off by the wind and had eventually tumbled on the steps of the monastery. 

The second thing that comes to mind is a stranger, or maybe a companion among his former classmates from the Golden Deer. Perhaps, a young villager had merely strayed too far into this territory and had gotten themselves lost in these ruins. If not, then perhaps one of his companions had remembered about their promised meeting and decided to come here a little earlier, much like Claude had thought himself.

The last thing he could possibly think of is a miracle.

Yet, when Claude turns, not a hint of doubt comes to mind upon recognizing those familiarly solemn eyes and light mint hair. Claude immediately knows that this was no ghost standing before him. _This_ was real-- and for a moment, Claude considers that _he’s_ the only thing real could ever be. 

Maybe Claude was right all those years ago. _This_ is what divine looks like, and their meeting was a revelation.

_I still find it difficult to believe in gods._

_But I think what I can at least believe in is you._

Claude smiles at the thought, but instead composes himself to say something just a little more eloquent than that.

“You overslept, Teach.” Claude chuckles. “Pretty rude to keep a fella waiting like that, wouldn’t you say?”

\--

Byleth trudges through the rubble as Claude leads him by the hand. The lethargy in his knees had caused Byleth to stumble a few times before as they walked among the ruins, so Claude eventually offered to guide him. 

Soon, they reach the wreckage of the cathedral. Byleth stops in his tracks to look up in awe at the broken windows, countless shards of stained glass scattered along with dust and rubble on the floor. He recognizes the unscathed half of the window as an ancient memory-- the stained glass that depicted imagery reminiscent of the war he had witnessed in his dreams. 

Claude notices the contemplative look on Byleth’s face and turns to observe the cathedral windows as well.

“A sacred place reduced to such ruins… war-torn and abandoned. Makes me wonder if the followers of Seiros would still believe it’s holy ground.”

“I… I suppose they would.”

“Is that so?”

“Places like these are where the presence of a god can be most felt. And these places-- I think... perhaps they aren’t chosen by humans… in the same way I didn’t choose where the goddess would dwell,” Byleth says pensively.

“Then… how do you think certain spaces are deemed sacred?”

“I’d like to think that… they are found.”

Byleth looks down at their hands still clasped together, then solemnly up at Claude. As enigmatic as Byleth’s words may have seemed, in that moment, Claude feels he understands them a little.


	5. Chapter 5

It’s one of those nights when sleep doesn’t come easily to him. Claude loiters the monastery grounds, hoping to clear his head and tire himself enough to doze off. It had been a long day spent on meeting with the Alliance lords, training, and discussing strategies-- all of which had definitely left him exhausted. Yet here he was-- wide awake, pondering about everything that has happened so far and the things yet to come. 

Claude would never admit it to anyone, but despite his carefree demeanor, there were times like these when he would find himself worrying about too many things. Because no matter how much he plans for anything at all or how many questions he finds answers to, there will always be uncertainties in this world. There was only so much he could do to make the uncertain a little more certain-- to make the future a little more his own. Claude knows this, yet he doesn’t falter. 

By now, he had too many reasons, and perhaps a little faith.

When Claude passes the grounds beside the Reception Hall, he recognizes a figure climbing up the stairs from the monastery graveyard-- it’s Byleth. Claude watches him as he leans on the railing to take in the view of the moonlit trees and mountains surrounding Garreg Mach. Claude soon approaches to accompany him and before he even gets there, Byleth briefly turns-- already having sensed his presence. Byleth invites him with a quick nod, and Claude indulges him.

“It’s cold out here,” Byleth says softly as he unwraps the blanket he had covered himself with like a shawl and gestures for Claude to come closer. Claude moves and Byleth reaches over his shoulder to extend the blanket and cover them both. 

“Thanks,” Claude says, noting the warmth between them.

The wind blows, and Claude watches as Byleth’s moonlit hair sways along gently like waves on a low tide. Byleth tucks his hair behind one ear as he briefly glances up at Claude. 

Byleth soon turns to look down at the graveyard below. Claude does the same and finds that fresh flowers had been laid on top of Jeralt's grave.

“I… I just remembered what it felt like to cry again. It’s been years since I did for the first time,” Byleth says earnestly. “I felt a little out of breath and something… heavy. Yet, I don’t exactly dislike it. Somehow, it was…” He pauses for a few seconds. “It felt…” Byleth furrows his brows, struggling to find words. 

Claude momentarily meets his eyes and notices how Byleth’s eyes seemed just a little more than weary-- sore, as if he had just been crying minutes before Claude had arrived.

“...Human?” Claude suggests.

“Human…” Byleth repeats. “That’s a word I’ve long found difficult to grasp. But I think… that’s right.”

“I guess I kinda figured as much. To tell the truth-- all those years ago, you always did feel a little too distant at first-- not in the way strangers are, but more as if... you belonged with the stars in the sky-- if that makes sense...” He pauses, smiling. “...But even so, that only kept me wanting to reach you.”

“I’m… I’m thankful for that.”

“You’re so much closer now… and I don’t just mean that literally,” Claude chuckles.

Byleth looks down shyly with a hint of a smile.

“I-- you know-- most days, I’m convinced that I’m far from human-- that I don’t even have a heart… But when I’m with you, I’m convinced I feel something in my chest.”

“And what would you say it feels like?”

“Something like… like a flutter. Although it’s probably impossible.”

“Jeralt wrote that even as a child, you had no heartbeat. But at this point, who knows? I mean, you are full of surprises after all, my friend,” Claude chuckles.

“Heartbeat… I wonder, what’s… what is yours like?” Byleth asks, curiously eyeing Claude’s hand resting on the stone railing.

Claude notices and offers his hand to Byleth.

“Here.”

Byleth takes his hand and gingerly rests his thumb on Claude’s wrist, feeling the other’s pulse.

“It feels as if it’s my own.” 

Byleth looks at him earnestly and Claude responds with a warm smile.

“Then it’s all yours.” 


	6. Chapter 6

At some point during his stay at the academy, Byleth realizes that a part of him had always been missing. For most of his life, he couldn’t smile, laugh, or cry like other people could-- even much less interact with them casually like any other normal person. But the thing is, he wasn't _normal_ to begin with-- or at least normal for him meant something different. 

For Byleth, normal had always been this constant state of hollowness. To this day, he struggles to feel a lot of things, but he was gradually learning. And at some point, Byleth realized that what he’d been feeling for so long is _lost--_ that it wasn’t just a part of him that’s missing-- instead, he himself was. 

There’s an irony in this, Byleth had realized.

They say you find direction in a god-- that through faith in these gods, a path is revealed-- a dream, a sense of purpose that eventually leads to finding one’s true self. But even though the goddess dwelled in him, Byleth had never felt so lost. He wielded the Sword of the Creator along with the goddess’ power, so maybe that meant he was on the path to becoming some sort of hallowed hero. But he never even chose any of these things himself. While a path had been laid out for him, he still felt missing.

And then he remembers choosing Claude-- back in Remire Village and back at his first time in Garreg Mach. Byleth soon realizes that while he was a vessel for the goddess Sothis, that is not all that he is, nor was it all that he could be. Meeting the Golden Deer allowed him to find himself little by little. Byleth was lost and here he meets a tactician who helps him navigate. He learns to smile, laugh, and cry-- to feel things. His existence was sacred, but he was still human. That meant he could choose a path for himself and he could dream-- just like Claude. 

Byleth recalls a memory of when he had run after him in the rain and realizes that even with such little things, he had been pursuing Claude all this time. He’s found himself a direction-- one that was truly his own and not one he’s given as a wielder of some sacred power. Suddenly, Byleth doesn’t feel so lost anymore. He’d chosen Claude all those years ago and he’s almost certain he could keep choosing him for the rest of his life-- or maybe even for eternity.

\--

“...so if we’re coming from the northeast, I’d suggest we go around this side first. March forward southeast and start attacking from there. What do you think?” Claude says as they strolled the grounds beside the cathedral, gesturing with his hands as if he were drawing a map in the air.

"Could you… repeat that for me?" Byleth says with a puzzled look.

“Ah, wait. Do you have a map with you? Or any piece of paper at all? It’ll be easier to explain that way,” Claude says.

Byleth shakes his head.

“Let’s see…” Claude hums. “...Can you give me your hand for a sec?”

Byleth nods quietly and stretches out his hand towards Claude. He takes Byleth’s hand in his.

“So as I was saying, if this was Gronder Field...” Claude begins to trace on Byleth’s open palm. “...and we were to come from northeast-- that’s this spot right here-- I’d suggest we take this path. Forward southeast, then to the west.” He glances up at Byleth, his finger still resting on the other’s palm.

“I see now...” Byleth tilts his head contemplatively. “It makes sense. The eastern side of the field does provide safer terrain to increase our defenses.”

“Right? That was exactly my train of thought.” Claude smiles briefly looking down at Byleth's hand, seeming proud of himself.

Byleth doesn’t say anything and they stay like that for a while. He doesn’t pull his hand away as Claude continues to idly trace the lines on his palm. Even in the dim light of the moon, Byleth can clearly recognize the gentle sharpness in Claude’s eyes and for a moment, he contemplates pushing the hair obscuring the other’s face to get a better view of them.

“Claude?”

“Y-yeah?” Claude says, slightly surprised. He realizes he’d been holding onto Byleth’s hand for a little too long. He begins to let go, but Byleth shakes his head and holds onto Claude’s hand instead. 

“Thank you.”

“For what, my friend?”

“I think…” This time, Byleth is the one mapping the lines on Claude’s palm. “...it was you who gave me something to believe in.”

“That’s kinda ironic, isn’t it? After all, you are where the goddess dwells.” Claude laughs softly.

“But it’s the truth. I hardly even knew myself back then-- much less what I wanted to wish for and how I’m supposed to feel about… anything. But when you told me about your dream, I realized just how much I’ve come to believe in you.” 

“Teach…”

Byleth shakes his head and smiles timidly up at Claude.

“Call me your friend. Or… call me something more.”

The night wind whispers to fill in the silence between them and gracefully breezes through Claude’s hair. Then, Claude rests his palm on the other’s cheek.

“Byleth, thank you for believing in me.”

Byleth shuts his eyes and leans further into Claude’s touch.


	7. Chapter 7

“Hey, come back here! I saw that seashell first!” Claude shouts above the restful crashing of waves. He struggles to run after Byleth with his bare feet easily sinking into the sand.

In the dim light of dawn, Byleth runs and revels in the taste of salt and coolness in the air. He laughs blissfully with his eyes closed-- childlike and filled with wonder. 

Claude soon catches up to him and seizes the other’s shoulder, causing Byleth to fall. 

“Oh crap. Sorry--”

Byleth’s weight pushes down on him, and Claude almost stumbles. He catches a glint of something tiny plummet into the sand as Byleth falls down. 

Byleth chuckles as he sits up and brushes the sand out of his hair, while Claude’s sharp eyes direct towards where he saw the tiny glint disappear. Claude searches the ground and within a handful of sand, he picks up a ring. 

Byleth turns quiet all of a sudden, having recognized the tiny object Claude held as the ring Jeralt had given him all those years ago-- the sole keepsake of his mother.

Claude sits down and stretches his hand out at Byleth, the ring on his palm still smeared with bits of sand.

“Is this... yours?” 

Byleth stares at the ring in silence as the waters whisper in waves. He slowly reaches out towards the other to take it, but eventually retracts his hand. 

“No, it’s yours,” Byleth says, shaking his head.

Claude chuckles at that even as he begins to sense a flutter in his chest. Claude swallows, a little flustered. “I’m pretty sure I don’t remember having this in my possession.”

“It’s yours now,” Byleth says, taking the other’s hand to pick up the ring on his palm. Carefully, he slips it onto Claude’s ring finger.

Byleth scoots closer to him and begins to lie down on the sand, not missing the way Claude pursed his lips to stifle a smile. Byleth gently tugs on Claude’s arm, inviting him to lie down as well. And so, Claude obliges-- lying on his side facing Byleth. 

Byleth moves even closer and reaches out to shove a lock of Claude’s hair behind his ear. He looks at Claude, devotion apparent in his eyes. 

Byleth soon moves his thumb to trace circles on Claude’s cheek. Meanwhile, Claude takes in the warmth from Byleth’s soft touches despite the grains of sand roughly brushing against his skin.

“Well, I--” Claude feels his cheeks brim with warmth. “--I certainly didn’t expect that.” Claude laughs. “That was pretty smooth of you. And here I thought I was always the charming one.”

“Oh, you are? Hmm… well, I guess you’re alright,” Byleth says, a teasing tone subtle in his voice.

“Hey, can’t you give me that much credit, at least?”

Byleth laughs heartily. “Claude, your smile…” 

“What? What about it?” 

“I can feel it in your eyes.” 

Claude chuckles.

When he looks into Byleth’s eyes at that moment, he realizes just how ethereal they are-- the timid green shining delicately in the faint morning light. He finds a serene in Byleth’s eyes and prays that this would be the sky that he wakes up to everyday. And more than that, he finds himself praying that these would be the eyes that watch over him for the rest of his life. 

“That’s because…” Claude pauses in realization. “...I finally found myself a sacred place.”

“And... where would that be?” 

“Right here,” Claude says softly.

He reaches behind Byleth’s head, cautiously pushing him towards himself.

When Byleth briefly glances down at his lips, Claude understands, immediately knows _what he wants--_ _what they both want._

They both lean closer until their lips brush against each other’s. Claude smiles into Byleth’s lips before gently pressing his own onto them. And in that moment, he learns what divine tastes like.

Claude entangles his hand in Byleth’s hair, taking in its softness and how Byleth seemed to revel desperately in the feeling of him pulling on them with gentle force. Slowly, Claude moves his hand down to touch his nape-- sand and the warmth of his calloused fingers tickling Byleth’s skin.

Byleth pulls away, slightly breathless. Claude soon opens his eyes and feels Byleth panting against his lips.

Claude steadies his breathing to the peaceful rhythm of crashing waves-- idly playing with Byleth’s hair as he does so.

Suddenly, Claude feels the tips of Byleth’s fingers gingerly stroking on his neck. Byleth soon ceases to finally rest his touch on Claude’s pulse.

When Claude looks up, he notices the sky had turned a little brighter-- indigo and gold melding gracefully into each other. And when Byleth looks at him, he notices the faint morning light reflected ethereally on Claude’s eyes.

A new dawn has arrived-- in their midst and beyond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi so if you've reached this point of the fic, thank u so much for reading this to the end. i actually have one more update planned out for this fic, but it's just some bonus post-war fluff epilogue i thought of last minute 
> 
> anyway i rly love claudeleth so much that i wanted to explore the religious essence of this dynamic bc i feel that rly is what makes this ship so uniquely appealing to me from anything else i've ever shipped lol like damn... to ship is human, but to claudeleth is divine


	8. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> decided to finally write and post this epilogue for claudeleth week

“Claude, have you ever thought about… having a child?” Byleth says out of the blue that morning.

The bedsheets cloak Byleth like the hood of a saint. And as sunshine seeps through the windows, Claude sees the man before him bathed in divine light. 

Byleth looks at him, his arms crossed and resting on Claude’s bare chest. 

“Byleth, I…” He chuckles. “But we’re both…”

“Yeah, but still… have you ever thought about it?” Byleth’s voice sounds smaller this time. He looks at Claude shyly from behind his crossed arms.

“To tell you the truth, no-- or at least not until now.”

“Well, I was just wondering... what if we did?”

“Is that even possible?” Claude laughs softly.

“It-- it’s not like you never believed in miracles…” Byleth pauses and shies his gaze away from Claude. He traces a finger along the lines of the other’s collarbone. “...You believed in me.”

“Okay, you got me there. You’re right." Claude tousles Byleth’s hair playfully. “But… I'm curious. What brought this on, exactly?” 

Byleth brings a hand up to his hair and entangles his fingers with Claude’s.

“See, yesterday… I was at the monastery-- passing by the dining hall. I recognized one of the knights there, but the child with him-- I'm certain she didn’t seem like a squire. And she--” Byleth closes his eyes as he smiles at the memory. “--she was so small and she wrapped her arms around the knight’s leg like…” Byleth shifts to lie down beside Claude instead and hugs the other’s arm. Claude laughs softly at the gesture. “...Like so. And when I saw that... I suddenly thought of my father. It’s odd-- I don’t even recall most of my memories as a child yet… witnessing that somehow made me feel something-- as if I missed a memory I never really had.”

Claude ponders in silence. Truthfully, he never considered things such as having a child and he never expected Byleth to think about them either.

But then again, Byleth had changed in a multitude of ways ever since they met. Recently, he’d started to become more curious about the world around him. He’d go on more spontaneous trips and ask so many questions about people, places, and things both within and beyond Fodlan-- and even with the most ridiculous ones, Claude would humor him. It was among the little mundane things about him that Claude found to be charming-- they were proof of his humanity. Yet, to Claude, it was these little things that made Byleth all the more divine.

“I see…” Claude chuckles. “You know what, I suppose... we can make a miracle happen.”

Byleth shifts to move even closer and Claude feels the heat of the other’s breath against his ear.

“If we had a child, what do you think they would look like?” Byleth asks.

“I think…” Claude turns to lie on his side and faces Byleth. When he looks into Byleth’s eyes, he knows he’s found an answer to that. But Claude forgets to speak as he loses himself momentarily in the allure of the other’s gaze.

Byleth answers for him.

“I think they’d have the prettiest green eyes-- like a verdant wind.”

“You mean like yours?” Claude grins.

Byleth doesn’t answer immediately, but instead sits up to lean over Claude. He smiles down at the other and pushes away the hair straying down in front of Claude’s eyes. He grazes his palm over Claude’s eyelids, gently bringing them to a close. Byleth then leans down to press his lips softly over the other’s eyes.

“And yours,” Byleth says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic was based on a claudeleth playlist i made before. a lot of the songs revolve around themes of searching/longing both for answers and for someone/something divine, as well as metaphorical stuff like love as something almost akin to a divine revelation djksks if that makes sense. ofc some of these songs i put in just bc... they feel like the essence of claudeleth's poetic, soft quiet friends-lovers dynamic to me. anyway here it is again if anyones interested: [a sacred space in your arms](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5rfATqwW5e5lAvqupmu4Xu?si=gjhysgS8T92nmUFtxh_jjw)
> 
> bother me on twitter: [@pieleth_](https://twitter.com/pieleth_)
> 
> again, thank u so much for reading i appreciate it a lot too if you leave kudos and comments!


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